Waistband holster



A ril 25, 1967 w. D. BOONE 3,315,855

WA I STBAND HOLSTER Filed April 1, 1966 INVENTOR. WALTER 0. Boo/v5 A 7 TOR/V5 Y5.

United States Patent 3,315,855 WAISTBAND HOLSTER Walter D. Boone, 1327 Oakwood Drive, Arcadia, Calif. 91006 Filed Apr. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 539,559 5 Claims. (Cl. 224-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE This invention relates to gun holsters. The holster according to this invention has a hook means including a bend adapted to be hooked over a waistband to be supported thereby. A portion of the hook extends inside the trousers. A stud is connected to and projects directly from the hook means remote from the bend inside the trousers so as to receive the discharge end of the hand barrel, thereby to support the barrel of the hand-gun inside the trousers with the grip resting atop the waistband Where it may readily be grasped by the wearer. The barrel itself rests against the abdomen. The stud is pivotally connected to the hook means, whereby the angle of the stud relative thereto may adjustably be varied.

This invention relates to gun holsters.

Off-duty policemen and officers engaged in undercover Work must carry hand-guns with them. They need to be carried in a safe position, with their bulk kept as unobtrusive as possible. The wearer should be comfortable despite the presence of the firearm. Numerous holsters of the containing variety have been suggested, but all of these involve considerable bulk of their own, and in addition involve the risk of snagging the gun when it is pulled. Another disadvantage which many officers find in carrying guns in civilian clothing is that when they sit down, the gun projects at an uncomfortable angle, and creates a visible and untidy bulk.

It is an object of this invention to overcome all of the aforesaid advantages, to provide a holster of minimum bulk which does not surround the gun barrel at all, and permits the gun barrel to nestle along natural body contours with the pistol grip at the waistband in a position such that it does not make an appreciable bulge.

A waistband holster according to this invention has hook means that includes a bend adapted to be hooked over a waistband to be supported thereby, with a portion of the hook extending inside the trousers. A stud is connected to and projects directly from the hook means remote from the bend inside the trousers so as to receive the discharge end of a hand-gun barrel, thereby to support the barrel of the hand-gun inside the trousers with the grip resting atop the waistband where it may readily be grasped by the wearer. The barrel itself rests against the abdomen.

According to a feature of this invention, the stud is pivotally connected to the hook means whereby the angle of the stud thereto may adjustably be varied.

According to preferred but optional features of this invention, extensible means forms a part of the hook, and is attached to and interposed between the hook means and the stud whereby the spacing of the stud from the hook means is adjustably variable.

The above and other features of this invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a right-hand view of FIG. 1

FIG. 1 shows a waistband holster adapted to support the barrel of a gun inside the trousers. The holster includes hook means 11 which has a bend 12 adapted to 3,315,855 Patented. Apr. 25, 1967 be hooked over the top of a waistband 13 with a tang 14 standing outside the trousers and with a plate 15 standing inside the trousers. Plate 15 includes a longitudinal slot 16 and mounts a screw 17 having a head 18 and a threaded shank 19, which shank is threaded into plate 15.

Extensible means 20, which may be considered a portion of the hook means, is attached to the hook and includes a plate 21 having a longitudinal slot. 22 which overlays slot 16 and a tang 23 which projects into slot 16. Shank 19 of screw 17 passes through slot 22 and head 18 overhangs plate 21 so that when it is tightened down, the two plates are held in an adjustable position. It will thereby be seen that the length of the hook on the inside of the trousers may be adjusted by loosening the screw, sliding the plates relative to each other, and then, with tang 23 in the slot to provide for alignment, tightening down on the screw to hold the adjustment.

Plate 21 supports a cylindrical stud 25 which is attached thereto by a screw 26. This screw may be released so that the stud can be rotated to a desired angular position and then the screw may be tightened down again. The retention of the adjustment may be improved by roughening up, scouring, or serrating the adjacent surfaces of plate21 and of stud 25, if desired. A barrel relief 27 is cut into the plate adjacent to screw 26 to provide clearance for the barrel over a wide range of angular positions.

The use of the device should be evident from the foregoing. For the initial adjustment, both of the screws are loosened and the hook is placed over the waistband with both plates inside the trousers. A gun barrel 28 is placed over the stud, and both the hook and the pistol grip (not shown) are placed at the locations most convenient for the wearer. Ordinarily, the barrel will. be aligned so that it goes into the crease between a sitting mans leg and his abdomen, and the grip will find its own position. The plates are slid relative to each other, and the stud is rotated so as to make this adjustment, and then when the best position is found, both screws are tightened down, and the holster is ready for use. It will be seen that these adjustments adapt the holster for a wide range of gun barrel lengths and positions along the waistband at which the wearer might wish to place the holster. This holster is practically invisible because tang 14 may be placed underneath the belt and only very unobtrusive metal portions, which themselves may be camouflaged, remain in evidence. It will be appreciated that the invention principally comprises the stud and the hook and that the various adjustment means need not be provided should the holster be adapted only for a single gun barrel length. However, the construction as shown provides a wider range of utility for the device.

As a convenience in using the holster, a shoulder 29 is formed on the stud to limit the travel of the gun barrel, and a chamber 30 is formed on the tip to facilitate insertion of the stud into the gun barrel. The stud is preferably made of material considerably softer than a gun barrel, for example brass, in order to avoid scouring the gun barrel.

This construction has the additional advantage that it can be changed from a right-hand to a left-hand configuration merely by removing screw 17, and turning over hook means 11, so that the inside of the bend faces plate 21, instead of the outside. Then the hook will overhang plate 21, and the hand-sense will be reversed.

This device thereby provides a holster which gives natural support to the gun while maintaining it on a safe and comfortable position out of sight and ready to use.

This invention is not to be limited by the embodiments shown in the drawings and described in the description which is given by way of example and not of limitation, but only in accordance with the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A waistband holster comprising: a hook including a bend, said hook being adapted to be placed over a waistband to be supported therefrom; a stud pivotally connected to and projecting from the hook remote from the bend to receive the discharge end of the hand-gun barrel, thereby to support the barrel of the hand-gun inside the trousers with the grip outside the waistband, the angle of the stud relative to the hook being adjustably variable.

2. A waistband holster according to claim 1 in which extensible means is attached to and forms a portion of the hook, the stud being attached to the extensible means, whereby the spacing of the stud from the bend is adjustably variable.

3. A waistband holster according to claim 2 in which the hook -includes a plate, and in which the extensible means comprises a plate, said plates lying flat against each other, there being a slot in each of said plates, a first one of said plates carrying a tang which enters the slot in the other plate, and said other plate supporting a screw which projects through the slot in said first one of said plates, and includes a head which bears against that plate to clamp the plates together, thereby holding the stud and the hook in predetermined alignment and spacing.

4. A waistband holster according to claim 3 in which a screw mounts the stud to the extensible means and in which a barrel relief is formed in the extensible means adjacent thereto.

5. A waistband holster according to claim 4 in which the stud is made of brass.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,768,177 6/1930 Wanee 2242 2,764,326 9/1956 Stanton 224-1 3,250,448 5/1966 Clark 2242 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

F. WERNER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WAISTBAND HOLSTER COMPRISING: A HOOK INCLUDING A BEND, SAID HOOK BEING ADAPTED TO BE PLACED OVER A WAISTBAND TO BE SUPPORTED THEREFROM; A STUD PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO AND PROJECTING FROM THE HOOK REMOTE FROM THE BEND TO RECEIVE THE DISCHARGE END OF THE HAND-GUN BARREL, THEREBY TO SUPPORT THE BARREL OF THE HAND-GUN INSIDE THE TROUSERS WITH THE GRIP OUTSIDE THE WAISTBAND, THE ANGLE OF THE STUD RELATIVE TO THE HOOK BEING ADJUSTABLY VARIABLE. 